Labeling-machine.



G. BRAND, F. MARCILE & E. P. SHELDON.

LABELING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED APB.so,19o9.

Patented N 9V. 8, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. BRAND, F. MARCILE '& E. P. SHELDON. LABELING MACHINE.

, APPLICATION FILED APR. 30,1909. x 974,856. Patented Nov.8, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

III

mlii

INV ENTORS GeQr'ge B ram d, Feux MarcLLe EdwamLPShelcLon Af/.. ATTORNEYS.

G. BRAND, F. MAIRCILE & E. P. SHELDON.

LABELING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 30,1909.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

3 SHEBTS-SHEBT 3.

NVENTORS.

ge Brand,

x Morcile, dward PShefdow Geo F'QIL B E ,5/7/

GEORGE BRAND, FELIX MARCILE, AND EDWARD P. SHELDON, OF -BROOKLY1\T,

' NEW YORK.

LABELING-MACHINE. l

Specification of Letters Patent. l PatenteoliNV. 3, 1910.

Application `filed April 3.0, 1909. Serial No. 493,098.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that We, GEORGE BRAND, FELIX MARoiLn, and EDWARD I. SHELDON, citizens of the United States, and residents of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Labeling- Machines, of which the following is a specificatiou.

Our invention relates to apparatus for aflixing labels to cigars or other articles or objects, .and has to do more particularly With the mechanisms of such an apparatus aside from those employed for feeding the labels to position.

The invention relates more particularly to improved meansvacting on the cigar or other article to' move or withdraw it from a conveyer and bringing it accurately int-o labeling 4position Wit-hout damage to the cigar and by means Which shall operate uniformly irrespective of differences in the size of the cigars, or other articles.

This part of our invention consists, generally speaking, of a pneumatic finger or fingers acting by exhaust and adapted to take hold of the cigar and removeit from the conveyer to labeling position Where it will be immediately beneath the plunger or other device which forces it down upon the label previously brought to position beneath it.

Another part of our invention consistsof a yielding support plate which receives the article when the plunger is forced down and supports it in position in a pocket wheel by which it is carried' away to the delivery end of the machine after'the folding or pressing of the gummed label upon the article.

The object of this part of our invent-ion is to compensate for differences iu the thickness of the articles to be labeled.

Our invention relatesfurther to improved means for transferring thearticles in layers from a platform tothe conveyer by which they'are fed one at al time to labeling position.

Our invention also relates to means for automatically stopping the machine in case' the attendant should fail to promptly supply a fresh stack of articles upon the platform after the automatic transfer of the last layer of the stack to the conveyer.

Our invention relates further to improved means for securing a delivery of the labeled articles to the delivery platform in a position the reverse of that in which they pass into the machine.

The invention is particularly useful for cigar banding machines of the kind described in the prior application of E. AP. Sheldon filed June 6, 1908, Serial No. 437,041 but is notrlimited to use for banding or atliXing labels to cigars.

The nature of our improvements as applied to cigar banding machines may be more readily understood by reference to the aforesaid'application of E. P. Sheldon.

The invention claimed Will be more particularly hereinafter set forth, and then specified :in the claims hereto annexed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of theupper portion of a label aiiiXing machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the device for taking the cigar from the conveyer and bringing it to labeling position. Fig. 3 is aplan of the device for transferring the cigar from the pocket wheel after it has been labeled to the delivery platform. Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation of the pocket Wheel and transfer device. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the transfer device acting in conjunction with said pocket wheel. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the portion of the mechanism comprising the platform for holding a stack of the cigars, or other articles, together With the mechanism for pushing the layers of said stack into the conveyer and for automatically stopping the apparatus Whenv there are no more layersy to be transferred. Fig. 7 is a plan of the automatic stopping mechanism. Fig. 8 is a partial side view of a detail of said mechanism and Fig. 9'is a plan of the same.

The conveyer for feeding the articles one at a time to labeling position may consist of feed bands 1, or other suitable device which `receive\\the cigars 2, 'or other articles when pushed edgewise into position between said bands from a stack or layer lsupported on a platform 3 as shown in Fig. 6. Said conveyer, Whether of the' construction indicated or of any other suitable form, carries the articles along to the labeling position in which one of them is represented in Fig. 1. Inthis position the article is sustained upon a collapsible platform or support 4 and immediately over a collapsible plate 5 uponv which the band or label fed thereto through roll (i or other means is temporarily supported.

A plunger 7 intermittently operated by suitable mechanism as described in the aforesaid application for patent, or in any other suitable way, descends upon the arti-- cle and carries it down to position upon'a plate 8 Where it lies in the pocket of an intermittently operated pocket wheel 9 as described also in said application. The label previously gummed or moistened is folded down upon the article by the intermittently operated swinging folder l() actuated by a link connection 11 to a rocker arm which is actuated by cam Wheel 12 or master shaft 13. An opposite or upwardly projecting free end of the label as indicated at 14 is folded down as the intermittently operated pocket wheel moves forward carrying the cigar past the swinging plate or flap 15. These particular mechanisms and devices acting in the article and bringing it to label fastening position with the label in place and fastening the label do not constitute our present invention. l

In the aforesaid Sheldon application, however, the platform 8 is fixed, and as the plunger 7 has a. fixed range of motion there 1s no compensation for cigars or articles of different thickness, so that cigars of small size are not brought accurately to position by the plunger while the larger sizes are liable to be crushed. We overcome this defeet by so mounting the plate 8 that it may yield when engaged by the article and by providing means for automatically restoring 1t to posltion to receive another article and"l f sustaining it in that position. We also pro?l vide means for temporarily holding it down in the position shown until the cigar or other article has' been carried awa-y by the pocket Wheel. To these ends the following construction may be employed. 16 is a rod carrying a collar 17 and Working in guides 18. 19 indicates a spring which lifts the rod and plate 8 until stopped by engagement of the collar 17 with one of the guides. On thel lower end of the rod is a ratchet 20 with which a dog or pawl normally tends to engage being actuated for that purpose by a. suitable spring 22. Said pawl has a heel. to which is connected a link 23 and the latter is operated by means of a cam 24 on the shaft 13, or by other suitable mechanism, timed to release the rod 16 after the article has been carried away from the plate 8 by Athe pocket wheel 9. Upon such release the such degree of fneness as will take care of thel usual small differences in the thickness of the articles.

To ltransfer the articles from the conveyer to the labeling position shown at 2 we employ one or more reciprocating pneumatic finger 25 which operate as suction devices to take hold of the cigar at its side and withdraw it from position in the conveyer to labeling position. rlhese fingers form terminals of a tube 26 which is carried by a reciprocating support 27, whereby said lingers may be moved toward the conveyer to engage the cigar or other article and then backward to position shown. Tube 26 is flexible and is connected to any suitable appliances for producing an exhaust or vacuum therein. The support, 27 is preferably constructed as a slide which works in a guide plate 28 and has a pin 29 projecting laterally into an enlarged opening in a swingin arm 30. The arm 30 projects from a rock shaft 31 to which movement is given by a link 32 carrying roller 33 which rides on a cam on a shaft 34. ySaid shaft 34 may be a shaft of the labell feed train receiving motion from a gear wheel 35 through suitable intermediate gear, said wheel 35 being driven from any portion of the machine as described in the Sheldon application. A spring 36 connected at one end to slide 27 and at the other to the guide plate tends to move the slide to carry the pneumatic fingers over to engagement with .the article when in position at the end of the conveyer. The'spring is normally restrained by engagement of the pin 29 with one side of the opening in the'arm 30, but when the latter is actuated by the cam and moved toward the left the spring causes the slide to follow up and to bring the lingers to position to take hold of the article. The lost motion of the arm 30 with relation to the pin Which is provided by the enlargement of the slot or opening in the arm laterally prevents any damage to the articlel which would ensue from a rigid connection of the arm and slide, since, after the fingers are engaged the arm 30 may move to its full extent as produced by the cam Without operating on the slide.

As'soon as the cam permits, a spring 37 connected to an arm of rock shaft 31 moves' arm 30 backward and the slide is positively Withdrawn by engagement of the arm and pin 29 thus carrying the fingers back to the fixed, or invariable position shown which is,

determined by the positive action of the cam in limiting the -movement of the parts under the influence of the spring 37. ln the forward or reverse movement of the slide 2T Y it is obvious that it will move under the influence of spring 36 until it meets the cigar, or other article, in the conveyer, when it will stop and thereafter be retracted b v the action of arm 30. Obviously the spring` 37 ies y im l " should be somewhat superior in strength to spring 36. It is further obvious that by the action of the device the liability to injury of the'cigar is avoided and that at the same time by providing sufficient lost motion, cigars or articles varying in thickness will be alike taken from the conveyer 'and brought to invariable position with relation tus they are carried around through nearly a half circumference and then carried away beneath the machine onto a conveyer, or to a delivery platform. By this movement they are inverted from the position in which they are fed into the machine and are thereby restored to the' osition which the occu- 'pied in the box; t is being due to t e fact that the box is inverted to remove the cigars in an inverted stack for transfer by. layers to the machine. in our improved machine we transfer the article at the end ofthe machine instead of beneath, to the delivery platform 40 shown inFigs. 3 and 4, by-

means of a swinging basket or `transfer device which turns-through an angle of 90 degrees or thereabouts. The article having been already through an arc of 90 degrees, more or less, byrotation of the pocket wheel, is now completely inverted so that the inversion roduced by slipping the cigars in a pile rom the box as described in the Sheldon application shall be corrected and Y platform 40.

that part of. the cigar which was up ermost in the box will be uppermost on the e'livery This swinging ibasket, or transfer device, as shown at 41 is mounted upon an arm 42 carrying a segmental rack gearing with another segmental rack 43. The arm 42 rocks on a suitablecross shaft and normally sustains thel basket or holder 41 in position between the two members of the pocket wheel and where itwill .receive the cigar or other article in .the intermittent movement of 5 said pocket wheel and as clearly shown in Fig. 4. After receiving the same the said arm is swung to carry the holder or basket to theposition indicated in the dotted lines Fig. 4'and where the cigar may be pushed from the pocket to the platform 40.

A pivoted plate 44 stands normally in position to prevent the cigars from moving backward olf the4 platform andv is swung down away from' position where it would obstruct the transfer, by engagement of the side of the holder or basket 41 with a lip of the plate 44. The actual transfer of the cigar from the holder 41 is produced by a pair of fingers 45 mounted on rock shaft 46. These fingers are intermittently swung at the proper times by means of the link 47 operated by cam 48 on the master'shaft or otherwise. Motion of the basket or holder 41 is produced in a similar way through a link 49, also actuated by a cam on the master shaft or otherwise, the motions being so timed that the transfer fingers will be actuated in alternation with the movement of the basket, tray or` holder 41. This combined operation of the rotaryI pocket wheel and swinging transfer basket obviously depends simply upon turning the article partially on its axis by carrying it around through part of the circumference of a circle and completing the half 4turn by swinging it in an arc to the required extent by the transfer basket or tray. It is obvious, therefore, that the extent of movement in the pocket wheel before thetransfer takes place may be more or less than 90 degrees, provided that the complementary swinging movement of the transfer basket or tray is sufiicient to turn the article a proper amount to produce inversion.

Referring now more particularly toFigs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 taken ink conjunction with Fig. 1, the platform 3 which holds a stack4 of the cigars is shown as carried by the rack rod 50 which is raised progressively with the operation of the machine as described in the Sheldon application to bring the horizontal layers of the stack of cigars successively into position for transfer to the conveyer as a layer, by an operating mechanism such as described in that application, or in any other suitable manner. The pusher for roducing the transfer is indicated at 51 an the tray whichholds the stackof cigars ina position inverted from that which they occupy in their box is indicated at 52. L

'llo insure the presentation of the pusher 51 properly to the end of the cigar, even though the vertical position of that end may vary as would be the case -with cigars of varying size. assembled in a stack, we provide an arm' 53 connected to the arm carrying the pusher'51, said latter arm being adapted to turn in a vertical plane to permit the pusher to rise and fall. The linger 54 on the arm 53 is adapted to. rest upon the top of the cigar and thereby determine the position of the pusher with relation to theend thereof. As the pusher moves forward the swing.- ing finger 54 yields as itpasses over the guide 55 which guides the end of the clgar into l in the conveyer. l

en the operation of the machine has progressed to a point where a newlayer of cigars can be transferred tothe'co'nveyer the` pusher 51 lis automatically projected by the -mechanisin' of the machine which for this purpose may be connected up to the pusher in the following manner. T he pusher itself is secured to a suitable rack 56 properly guided on the frame and gearing with a wheel 57 to which rotation is imparted from another rack 58. The latter receives its motion from an elbow lever 5S), 011e arm of which carries roll 60 bearing on cam wheel 6l. .Said wheel 61 is upon the shaft of the machine geared up through Wheel 62 with the master shaft 13 and may be the main drive shaft which receives power directly from the pulley 63 adapted to run free on said shaft or to be coupled thereto by means of the clutch 64.

The operation of the cam is timed to produce the intermittent action of the pusher in coordination with the operation of the machine in conveying the clgars to the labeling position, and so that the layers will follow one another in immediate succession, being transferred from the platform 3 to the conveyer as soon as the last one of a layer has p asscd along sufficiently to permit the rst cigar of the next layer to be transferred. We further provide means for automatically stopping the operation of the machine as soon as that operation reaches the stage where the bottommost layer of the stack has been transferred to the conveyer and has been moved along thereby so that a fresh layer may be transferred and in the meantime, the table 3 shall not have been provided with a new stack. To accomplish this we connect with the table a suitable controli li-ng mechanism which will automatically disconnect the drive shaft 65 from the drive power in any suitable Way after the table has been allowed to remain in its uppermostposition a predetermined length of time. This we accomplish preferably by simply operating the clutch 64 by mechanism connected tothe machine and brought into play by anv attachment to the table For this purpose we use preferably a coupling bar 66 mounted on a pivotal support at 67 and nor'- mally having an end turned inward toward the fralne of the machine by the action of a spring 68 so that it will be out of the path of a cam 69,' or wiper, which, if the arm be turned to position shown in dotted lines will wipe the end of said arm and carry it against the heel of a sliding bar 70, thus coupling the cam and bar and force the latter end wise so as to disconnect the clutch 64 through the action of a pin carried by the bar 70 and engaging in the circumferential groove formed in the clutch member 64 that is keyed or has a sp-line or feather connection with shaft 65. A spring 72 normally tends to keep the clutch engaged until it 1s positively disengaged by the action of the cam 60 made operative through movement of the arm 66. Movement of the latter is produced by the engagement therewith of an arm 7 3 having a toe provided with an incline at 74 and which is adapted to engage the side of the arm 66 when the table 3 and bar 50 carrying arm 73 have been raised to their eX- treme upward position. The disconnecting action, however, does not ensue as soon as the table has reached such position, butl is delayed, owing to the position of the cam 69, until the last layer of cigars has been transferred and has been moved along by the conveyer suiiciently to require a fresh layer in order that the continuous operation of aixing the labels shall not be interrupted. This delayed action of the cam gives the operator time to place a new stack of cigars on the platform 3 and to depress the same to position to bring the topmost layer opposite the 'pusher in readiness for the 'operation of said pusher upon the topmost layer. When the platform is depressed the toe 74 releases the connecting arm 66 and allows it to swing back out of the way of the cam 69 by the time the latter has moved around to position for engaging the end of the arm 66. Hence the power will remain connected.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. In a labeling machine, the combination of a yielding support for the article, a plunger engaging the article and forcing it label around the article while resting upon f, the support in its depressed position.

2. In a labeling-machine, the combination of a yielding support plate for the article vin its label fastening position, aJconveyer having pockets adapted to receive -the article in its label fastening position and acting to carry the article away from the support plate after the label is fastened, a plunger for forcing thesupport plate down to position where the article will lie inthe pocket in said conveyer and means independent of the plunger for holding the support plate temporarily depressed.

3. In a labeling machine the combination of a spring actuated support plate for the article to be labeled, a catch for holding the plate in the label fastening position and means for intermittently releasing the catch after each fastening operat-ion.

4. In a labeling machine, the combination of a spring-actuated support for the article in its label fastening position, mechanism for holding the same down in the position to which it may be depressed, means for removing the -article from said support and cooperating mechanism for releasing the support to allow it to return to normal position under the action of its spring upon the removal' of the article therefrom.

5. In a labeling machine the combination of label applying mechanism, a conveyer for feeding the article toward labeling poof label applying mechanism, a conveyer for carrying the article to the label applying mechanism and a reciprocating pneumatic finger adapted to act by suction and to transfer the article from the conveyer to position for the action of said mechanism.

7. In a labeling machine the combination of label applying mechanism, a conveyer, a reciprocating transfer device for transferring the article from the conveyer to position in the label applying mechanism and actuating mechanism having lost motion in the movement of the transfer device toward the article.

8. In alabeling machine the combination of a conveyer, label applying mechanism, a reciprocating spring actuated transfer device for transferring the article from thel conveyer to position .in the label applying mechanism, and actuating mechanism for the transfer device having lost motion.

9. In a labeling machine the combination of a delivery table, a -rotary pocket Wheel for the article and a. swlngingl pocket swinging 111 a plane transverse to the axis of rotation of said wheel for receiving the article at a predetermined stage in the rotation of the wheel and swinging the article through an arc of a circle to an extent sufficient to complete its inversion in the delivery table.

10. In a labeling machine, the combination of a delivery table, a rotary pocket wheel, a swinging pocket swinging in the plane in which the pocket wheel turns, and a transfer device for ejecting the article from the pocket on to the delivery table.

1'1. In a labeling machine the combination of` a platform, a conveyer, a pusher for transferring the article from the platform to the conveyer and an arm connected to the pusher and adapted to rest upon the article to determine the position of the pusher with relation to the article.

12. In a labeling machine the combination of a conveyer, means for' supporting the article to be labeled, a pusher for transferring the article to the conveyer and a supporting arm for the pusher having a swinging nger adapted to rest upon the article.

13. In a labeling machine the combination of a supporting platform adapted to carry a stack of the articles to be labeled, a conveyer, a pusher for transferring the articles by layers to the conveyer and actuating mechanism for said pusher coperating with the conveyer and acting when a previously transferred layer has been progressed to the proper point as and for the purpose described.

14. The combination in a labeling machine of a table adapted to hold a stack of the articles to be labeled, a conveyer, means for lifting the table automatically to position for transfer of the layers successively to the conveyer, mechanism for automatically throwing off the driving power and devices controlled by the table and coperating therewith for bringing saidmechanism automatically into action when the operation of the machine has progressed to a predetermined point as and for the purpose described.

15. Ina labeling machine thc combination of a platform adapted to support a stack of the articles to be labeled, means for lifting said platformE cut-off mechanism for cutting off the driving power of the machine, a

'cam connected to the mechanism of the machine, and means carried by the platform for throwing the cut-off mechanism into operative relation to the cam when the platform is in its uppermost position as and for the purpose' described.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 29th day of April A. D. 1909.

GEORGE BRAND. FELIX MARCILE. EDVARD I. SHELDON. lVitnesses:

IRENE LEFKOWITZ, EDWARD M. JULINEK. 

